New York Division-Bergen Line: Episode III, The Erie Rises

[minerman146]

It is a quick drive using the Bergen Route and the U34ch from Port Jarvis PJL and Hoboken.

Hi Pwelt - you are getting the red where - that QD starts at the station, your next signal is after the Neversink River.
Can you TAB out of the Red Signal?

[minerman146]

I just finished DKSspeed's excellent "To Ford!" scenario on this incredible route. This has become my #1 favorite route.

Thanks so much for this great contribution for us end users! Much appreciated. Well done!

Can you provide a link to this scenario?

I gotcha my brutha: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2650578493
And for the rest of you here is the golden link to all Bergen Scenarios (sorry dudes, you gotta copy and paste):
https://steamcommunity.com/workshop/bro ... 5D=%23rtdp{19b667f7-2759-49e0-93d8-4dadc470bceb}&browsesort=totaluniquesubscribers

Finally some Bergen posts - admit it, you guys miss the Wednesday Route Report.

[DKSspeed]

I just finished DKSspeed's excellent "To Ford!" scenario on this incredible route. This has become my #1 favorite route.

Thanks so much for this great contribution for us end users! Much appreciated. Well done!

You're welcome! More to come!

[kris120]

Hi,
I have helped Minerman last year with his route extensively and checked and corrected all the signals.
There was the question how to get the Searchlights from Sherman Hill working like Erie signals.
In certain situations, but always when you leave a yard or a station, I found the only solution is the usage of a German trackend signal from Munich-Augsburg, which is always red. So you are forced to run over a red signal on those locations.
I have burried these signals below ground, you can see only a red light in the 2D map of these signals.

The solution is not to set "Passing danger signal ends the game":

2022-06-08 15_39_02_passing_danger_signal.jpg

I really hope that helps.

Otherwise we have the problem that the route is in "finished" status. There is no way to update the download in the workshop as I have understood.

Kris

[Pwelt]

Hello
I cannot tab pass signal at Port Jervis, I will unstick box that ends game at spad. Excellent solution, did not think of that. Thank you for help.
Pwelt

[minerman146]

One of the resources that is really most difficult to find in researching the Bergen is photographs. In particular, was going pre 1976 West of Suffern. Of course, I blended in modern day with what I knew was in the past. By the time I got to Port Jervis, I was in 1973 with no deviation. Today In Port Jervis the coach yard was gone by 74 -75 and the round house burnt in 87. The big brown building in the center of the image was the "oil house" and that was gone some time in the late 70's.
There are a dozen other buildings long gone that I added back in. Like the State Theater, the Flo-Jean Restaurant, a house at 9 Third St. How do I know, Satellite Images from the 1980s, Aerial photos from the 1930s, maps and other pictures. Come to think of it, the aerial images were black and white and blurry. I was dealing with shadows to place the track and buildings from images over 40 years old. I never had clear images to distinguish adjacent tracks, if I was lucky, the sun was out and I could see the glare from the rail to try and place them.

Post finalizing the Bergen this is the very first time I have seen this picture from May 30, 1970. I know where it was taken. The photographer climbed the signal at 87.1. I cant help but to see how my guestimates came out. So I placed all the assets into the picture I could find to match up the scene. Again this is am angle from which I have not seen until yesterday. So, lets go to the images.

1970

nkp-pj30MAY1970facingwest.jpg

2022

nkp-pj11JUN2022facingwest.jpg

So close .... If I had this picture, I would have realigned the track, lowered the oil house, raised the overpass and added some foliage. And I never would have told you. But, looking at this picture and the route in comparison. This is probably a very good representation of how close I tried to get things along the entire route.
I really tried to bring the past life.

Last up - I think I saw this train - the old man has the date, and if this is the time I think it was .... he can confirm it, I was on his shoulders.
Carry on.

[mindenjohn]

Pretty dern good after 50 years, well done I say, give yourself and your old man a pat on the back (not too hard he's getting on in years).

[kris120]

Hi Minerman,
After reading the first sentence and seeing the photo, I immediately thought, "Isn't that Port Jervis".
Your route is for me as if I had already been there once.
Should I fly across the pond one day, I don't think I'll need a nav and map to P.J. thanks to your fantastic route.
What I find remarkable is how blameless people are in the track. But back then, things were just as relaxed in Germany; today, you have to be afraid that the police won't be called.

[minerman146]

Greetings and salutations all. I've been ruminating on a post the past month to cover what's been going on and what might be going on. Well, let's get started.

Firstly, the last post from Kris120 is deserving a response. Let it be known, I let Kris "touch the route". That is a big deal. Initially, I wanted someone to go over the route and cover track and signals as I finalized scenery and track over the last 6 months of the build. We went from, where he would identify areas that needed fixing, to actually editing the track and signals and handing back the route for me.

Looking back, Kris is an unsung hero. I know I have expressed my thanks to him both directly and here. Today, I want him and you to know that I did not like that one bit! I was terrified of fatal track errors that would render the route unusable at worst or flawed at best for scenarios. And bless him, he not just found some minor to medium errors but then he proposed improvements. I let him go to it in complete trust. As scary as that was, he did a great job. His knowledge of the mechanics of Train Simulator is just exceptional and this is not hyperbole, it's brilliant. So, when you are on a scenario and all is working well over an 87 mile run, or weaving through yards think of Kris. And if he ever offers you assistance, take it, he is a good man.

Kris it was a pleasure to work with you. You were a pain and tough as nails and I never told you that. Thank you for all you have done!

Next up, I want to salute Minerman146. You think that's me. In reality it is my son, otherwise known as Minerman the Younger. This young fella at the age of 9, got a steam account and Train Simulator 2012 as a Christmas gift from me. And as wrapped up as I was in a highly demanding job, he roped me in to work on a project together. That project turned into this route. He taught me route editor and how to lay track. He was the one who gave me the bug to build this "test" route. There is still track and some scenery that an 11 year old did on the route. He and this project got me through some challenging times doing real life work. So, thanks for the joy you gave and continue to give me Minerman! And that 9 year old is now 18 and just graduated high school. He is moving on to college. And (you guys are gonna love this) he will be attending the Stevens School of Technology in glorious Hoboken, NJ studying Civil Engineering. Just wow! The man loves his trains but loves his bridges and tunnels more. Thank you son for being inspired and for being inspiring!

As for me, I have been off for a year. No train work. Enjoying life and getting more than 6 hours of sleep a day. You might be wondering why I haven't started another project or continued this one. The fact is, I am in limbo. My goal was to get Erie Lackawanna a DLC, maybe this route as DLC. My vehicle for that was the EL-NJDOT U34CH. In limbo for the past 2 years, got a jump start from the powers at be, when I lost my marbles over the advent of the Penn (huck - tooey!) Central being offered as DLC by DTG on the Steam Store. In my planning, this route and the DLC were to be done and then I could move on to another project or just rest on my laurels. Today I am cautiously optimistic, as the EL-NJDOT U34CH is in official testing. My last message from DTM on 29 June is this:


I just got an email from DTG. The U34CH has just passed the initial test and was sent to QA test. There is not a release date yet, but it is an important step forward. I'll take this news (not to the bank) but I will take it nonetheless.

So that is where I am - so close. I still have patience and I still believe my dream can come true. Then, I can move on and work on other things for our hobby. I have lots of interesting ideas, trust me.

In closing let me submit this picture from today. This is a 12 pack of a 1975 edition of Narragansett beer, a New England Icon, a favorite of the Minerman and of Robert Shaw in the film Jaws of the same year and some staples of 'Murica next to the entrance of the hallowed Minerman Bunker and Lab.

20220716_123727.jpg

Have a great Summer and remember: Let's be careful out there!

Carry on!

[mindenjohn]

Good to hear from you Minerman, you take care.

[minerman146]

Afternoon Gents,
I have viewed a response from DTG to DTM and they are looking for a Date to release the EL-NJDOT U34CH!
This is as "soon" as I can call soon! Then my torment will be over.

Carry on.